Chapter 11

The figure stood motionless for a moment, then moved in closer. Lena winced, anticipating another slap, but it moved past her. The door behind her opened and she heard her interrogator exit. The door slammed shut, and she heard a heavy click as it locked.

What have I done? she asked herself. She closed her eyes, trying to regain control of her racing mind. Will I ever go back home?

After some time, the door to her room opened again. The hooded interrogator returned to stand in front of her. A new voice spoke from behind her. A man. His voice was clear, with a gruff tinge.

“Your name is Lena?” he asked.

Lena kept her eyes on the masked figure before her.

“Yes.”

“And you were hired by Jael, correct?”

“Yes. He said he needed me because I’m human. There was some sort of barrier that androids can’t pass.”

Both figures remained silent for a moment.

“Hired to do what?” the man behind her finally asked.

Lena informed them of the posts that she was assigned to plant, and how they would provide survey data on the area.

“Ok, you need to tell us where these things are. Right now,” the voice instructed.

“It is too late,” said the android. “The data has already been transferred.”

All three sat in silence for a moment. The interrogator spoke again.

“How did you and the android find this place?”

Lena paused for a moment, thinking about the question.

“ANSWER!” its demonic voice shouted.

Lena winced in fear.

“I met him here,” she said hurriedly. “We met and I followed him to a campsite. I don’t know where this place is. I got lost following him. I swear, if you please just let me go, I have no idea….”

“SHUTUP!” the interrogator yelled.

“Lena, listen to me,” the man behind her spoke intently. “We’re not gonna let you go.”

She hung her head and cried.

“Please…” she pleaded.

“Lena. How’d you get here?” he asked again.

She was confused at first by the question.

“W-what? I drove here. I told you, I met Shel and I followed him to a campsite.”

Both figures remained quiet. After a brief moment, the robed android in front approached her, and untied the ropes binding her to the chair.

“Stand up,” it instructed.

She stood, reluctantly.

“You’re not gonna be hurt,” the man behind her said.

Once her hands were free, she slowly turned to face him.

The man she saw was a little taller than her. He was lean and muscular beneath his sleeveless shirt. His blonde hair and beard looked untended. She guessed him to be no more than ten years her senior.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked.

She studied his face. Looking past the rough exterior, she found familiar features.

“You’re...Jazun?”

He nodded with a slight smile. Her suspicion was confirmed and her gut tightened. He had the same grin as his brother. Jael was the pinnacle of synthetically altered human, whereas Jazun was the tarnished, mirror image. He had all the natural imperfections of a human: slight crow’s feet around his eyes, a crooked bottom tooth, and some light scarring from heavy acne in his youth.

She looked back to the hooded android. It removed its metal face, revealing an older athletic woman underneath. Her rich, brown skin contrasted with hints of silver in her hair.

“What are you going to do to me?” Lena asked fearfully.

“Do to you?” Jazun asked.

He looked at the dark-skinned woman.

She spoke with an unrecognizable accent, the demonic warble gone with the mask. “Lena, do you know who we are?”

Hesitantly, she answered. “You’re Verus.”